Intensive lifestyle intervention after obesity screening significantly improved body mass index z scores in children aged 2-5 years, compared with children aged 6-21 years, based on data from 462 children enrolled in a tertiary-care clinical obesity program.

“Children 2 to 5 years old responded nearly seven times more favorably than [did] older children aged 6 to 21 years old after completion of 6 months within our obesity program,” Dr. Carl A. Sather of Indiana University, Indianapolis, said in a press conference. The complete study findings will be presented on May 9 at the annual Digestive Disease Week.